Prime Minister attends inauguration ceremony of Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Nha Trang expressways

After attending the groundbreaking ceremony of three important transport projects in the South in Ho Chi Minh City, on the afternoon of June 18, in Khanh Hoa province, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the inauguration ceremony of the Nha Trang - Cam Lam and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressways, part of the North - South Eastern expressway project for the 2017-2020 period.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Nha Trang - Cam Lam expressways. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

The event was held online at Khanh Hoa province connecting with Binh Thuan province.

Also attending the event at the Khanh Hoa provincial bridge were Secretary General of the National Assembly and Head of the National Assembly Office Bui Van Cuong; Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh; Secretary of Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Hai Ninh; leaders of central ministries, departments and branches and leaders of Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen and Ninh Thuan provinces.

Attending the ceremony at the Binh Thuan province bridge were Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai; Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang; Secretary of Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee Duong Van An; leaders of central ministries, branches and Binh Thuan province.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the Nha Trang - Cam Lam expressway project running entirely through Khanh Hoa province is over 49 km long, with a scale of 4 lanes, a total investment of over 5,500 billion VND, invested in the form of PPP (public-private partnership), of which the State capital is about 2,967 billion VND, the investor's capital is about 2,556 billion VND. The project started construction in September 2021.

The 101 km Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressway project passes through Binh Thuan province, connecting with Cam Lam - Vinh Hao expressway in the North and Dau Giay - Phan Thiet expressway in the South; with a total investment of VND 10,853 billion, construction started in September 2020.

At the event, leaders of the Ministry of Transport, Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan provinces, investors and contractors said that during the implementation process, in addition to advantages, the two projects encountered many difficulties. These included the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; the project spans many areas with complex terrain and geology; fuel and material prices have increased dramatically at times. The source of common construction materials is still lacking; the weather and climate are extreme, the rainy season comes earlier and lasts longer than usual...

In that situation, the Government and the Prime Minister have paid special attention, closely and resolutely directed ministries, branches and localities to coordinate and promptly remove difficulties and obstacles to implement the project; issued many Resolutions with specific mechanisms to solve the shortage of common construction materials for the Project. In addition, ministries, branches and localities have taken action with a high sense of responsibility, resolutely, overcoming all difficulties and challenges to resolve problems under their authority... Thanks to that, the difficulties have been resolved, the 2 projects have been basically completed and put into temporary operation from May 2023.

At the inauguration ceremony, Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee and Son Hai Group Company Limited proposed that the Government, the Prime Minister and relevant ministries and branches pay attention to and continue to allow investment in a number of other expressways under the same mechanism as for the two expressway projects Nha Trang - Cam Lam and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the inauguration ceremony of the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Nha Trang - Cam Lam expressways. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that under the leadership of the Party; the companionship and coordination of the National Assembly and the Government; the participation of localities and the entire political system; the support of the people and businesses; we have overcome the sun, overcome the rain, overcome the pandemic; regardless of day or night, early morning or late at night, Tet, without days off, working in 3 shifts, 4 teams to overcome all difficulties to complete these 2 projects.

“The operation of the Nha Trang - Cam Lam and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressways has basically connected the expressway from Ho Chi Minh City - Khanh Hoa, helping to shorten travel time, reduce the load on National Highway 1A, meet the needs of travel, transportation, cultural and social exchange, promote socio-economic development of Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan provinces in particular; stimulate tourism, contributing to maximizing the potential and advantages of the South Central Coast region in particular and the country in general,” the Prime Minister pointed out.

According to the Prime Minister, the North-South transport corridor always plays an extremely important role, being the backbone, the economic and transport corridor of the country. To create a breakthrough momentum, promote the potential and advantages of localities on this corridor, the North-South Eastern Expressway has been planned with a total length of 2,063 km from Huu Nghi - Lang Son Border Gate to Ca Mau, passing through 32 provinces and cities; 804 km have been completed and put into operation.

With the operation of the two projects Nha Trang - Cam Lam and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet with a total length of more than 150 km, the total length of the North - South expressway axis has increased to 954 km and the total number of expressways nationwide to 1,729 km; an additional 123 km will be completed by the end of 2023 and the focus will be on implementing construction to complete the entire route by 2025.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh with people in the project areas of the two expressways Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Nha Trang - Cam Lam. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

The head of the Government pointed out that the Nha Trang - Cam Lam and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet projects, which started construction in 2020 and 2021, as well as other projects of phase 1 under construction, encountered many difficulties and problems during the construction process, greatly affecting the progress.

Grasping and sharing those difficulties and obstacles, the Government and the State Steering Committee have focused their time on directing decisively, synchronously and comprehensively with the spirit of "Resolve wherever the difficulties are, resolve wherever the difficulties are; resolve the obstacles at whichever level", "don't say no, don't say difficult, don't say yes but don't do it".

The Government has promptly issued Resolutions to address the shortage of materials for projects; resolutely directed ministries and branches to implement many solutions to soon stabilize construction material prices, ensure the supply of gasoline and oil, etc.

In particular, for the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet project, by the time of completion (April 30, 2023), although the main route has been basically completed, it still cannot be connected synchronously at the same time with the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay expressway due to waiting for an extension of the earth fill mine. To remove difficulties for the project, the Government issued Resolution 47 on a pilot to remove difficulties in licensing the exploitation of earth fill mines serving the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet project, the project was completed on the occasion of the 133rd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday (May 19, 1890 - May 19, 2023).

Regarding the Nha Trang - Cam Lam project, which is invested under the public-private partnership (PPP) method, implemented in the context of incomplete PPP investment law. The project was selected as an investor before the PPP Investment Law was promulgated, and a "wave" of reaction to BOT traffic projects appeared in many provinces and cities across the country, causing investors' psychology and concerns of credit institutions providing capital. Five out of eight component projects: National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, Nghi Son - Dien Chau, Mai Son - National Highway 45, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay were forced to report to the National Assembly for consideration and conversion from the PPP method to public investment.

Calling for PPP investment in the North-South Expressway project at times seemed difficult to implement. However, with the support of the National Assembly, the Government, the Ministry of Transport and related ministries and branches in removing obstacles in mechanisms and policies, the component projects: Nha Trang - Cam Lam, Dien Chau - Bai Vot, Cam Lam - Vinh Hao have successively selected reputable investors.

The PPP contract for the Nha Trang - Cam Lam project was signed, marking the first success of the goal of concretizing the mechanism of "State and people working together" in the first arterial highway project of the country. With the close direction of the Government, the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Transport, the high determination of the Investor and related units, the Nha Trang - Cam Lam project shortened the time, reaching the finish line 3 months ahead of schedule.

With remarkable results, the Prime Minister highly appreciated and commended the Ministry of Transport for regularly inspecting, directing the removal of difficulties, inspiring, motivating and strongly determined at the construction site; cadres, civil servants, and workers in the Transport sector, Son Hai Group Company Limited, Project Management Boards, contractors, and consulting units have shown high determination, great efforts, actively innovated thinking, ways of thinking, and ways of working to overcome difficulties related to the epidemic, adverse weather, working day and night, "overtime, extra shifts", mobilizing sufficient resources, equipment and machinery, conducting research, and applying many technical solutions to put the projects into operation.

In particular, the Prime Minister commended the efforts and responsibility of local Party committees and authorities in site clearance and resolving material shortages for the project; and thanked the people in the affected areas for their willingness to give up land and move their houses for implementation.

Presenting 6 lessons learned during the project implementation process, the Prime Minister emphasized that there must be new ways of doing things, thinking, methodologies, approaches, high determination, great efforts, drastic actions, focus, key points, scientific, reasonable and effective implementation; promoting the responsibility of leaders, closely following reality, proactively grasping the situation and improving forecasting to promptly adjust plans, implementing solutions to promptly handle and resolve problems and shortcomings arising during the project implementation process.

“Ministries, branches and localities have been determined, need to be even more determined; have tried, try harder; have tried, try even harder to complete the set goals,” the Prime Minister pointed out.

According to the Prime Minister, during the implementation process, it is necessary to proactively resolve tasks within authority; identify highways as common national assets that localities directly benefit from in order to mobilize the entire political system to participate responsibly and effectively; flexibly handle according to authority, especially site clearance, raw materials, logistics roads, dumping sites, etc.; especially, handle the issue of construction materials.

Along with that, it is necessary to do a good job of propaganda and mobilization so that people understand and agree with the major policies of the Party and the State; pay attention to people's lives, focus on resettlement arrangements for people, ensure that new housing is better than or at least equal to the old housing, ensure infrastructure, health care, education, and services; from there, people trust and are willing to give up land and relocate houses to serve the construction of projects.

In addition, it is necessary not to divide the bidding package into smaller packages; to determine standards, criteria, and conditions for selecting contractors in accordance with reality; to ensure publicity, transparency, seriousness, efficiency, and compliance with legal regulations to select contractors who are truly capable, reputable, and experienced in managing and implementing large-scale projects; to ensure technical and aesthetic factors, to save costs, and not to unreasonably increase the total investment.

In particular, promptly handle and resolve difficulties and obstacles in the spirit of "harmonizing benefits and sharing risks", minimizing administrative procedures, not causing inconvenience to people and businesses; issues within authority must be resolved, avoiding shirking responsibility; resolutely fight against negativity, waste and corruption.

Km 39 of the Nha Trang - Cam Lam expressway passes through a solar power "field" in Cam Lam district. Photo: Huy Hung/VNA

Regarding the tasks in the coming time, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Transport to preside over and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to organize safe operation and exploitation; based on traffic demand to develop a complete investment plan for the project according to the future planning scale; research, analyze and evaluate experiences in implementing the Project to serve as lessons for future projects; speed up construction progress to put the remaining sections of the North-South Expressway into operation on schedule; closely coordinate and support localities to urgently implement the construction of East-West Expressway Projects, Urban Belt Projects in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and inter-regional connection projects in the form of PPP.

The Prime Minister also requested the People's Committees of Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan provinces to direct relevant agencies and units to continue taking care of the material and spiritual lives of the people, especially families and people who gave up their land for the project, ensuring that people have better living conditions and peace of mind to "settle down and start a business"; make the most of the advantages of the expressway to plan and develop new spaces to promote local socio-economic development.

Regarding the proposal of Khanh Hoa province and Son Hai Group Company Limited on investing in a number of other expressway projects, the Prime Minister agreed in principle; assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Transport to coordinate with the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province to develop a project, propose to the competent authority for decision to ensure compliance with legal regulations.

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